22:
148:
exemplifies its deadliness and the gruesome condition in which it leaves its victims. This can be seen in the fact that after it is used, one must literally cut into the victim to retrieve it. This was the case in Cúchulainn's slaying of
Ferdiad. As it is stated in Ciaran Carson's translation of
134:
down the stream to his master, who cast it into
Ferdiad's body, piercing the warrior's armor and "coursing through the highways and byways of his body so that every single joint filled with barbs." Ferdiad died soon after. On a separate occasion, Cúchulainn also killed his own son,
126:, everything the same, except she taught the Gáe Bulg feat only to Cuchulainn. He later used it in single combat against Ferdiad. They were fighting in a ford, and Ferdiad had the upper hand; Cúchulainn's charioteer,
414:
364:
Lewis, Timothy. "Bolg, Fir Bolg, Caladbolg" in Ryan, J. (ed.), Féil-sgríbhinn Eóin Mhic Néill, Dublin, 1940; repr. Four Courts Press 1995, pp. 46-62.
88:, the Curruid, that had died while fighting another sea monster, the Coinchenn. Although some sources make it out to be simply a particularly deadly
407:
153:
Láeg came forward and cut Fer Diad open and took out the Gáe Bolga. Cú Chulainn saw his weapon bloody and crimson from Fer Diad's body...
1016:
400:
104:
had to be made ready for use on a stream and cast from the fork of the toes. It entered a man's body with a single wound, like a
1111:
896:
1072:
1044:
382:
Schrijver, Peter. Studies in
British Celtic Historical Phonology., Rodopi, 1995, p. 384 (for etymology of Irish
327:
310:
65:), meaning "spear of mortal pain/death", "gapped/notched spear", or "belly spear", was the name of the spear of
995:
139:, with the spear. In both instances, it was used as a last resort, as once thrown it proved invariably fatal.
745:
658:
551:
511:
1051:
541:
144:
114:
1106:
684:
1065:
689:
587:
108:, then opened into thirty barbs. Only by cutting away the flesh could it be taken from that man's body.
1037:
735:
272:
248:
1030:
1002:
927:
856:
592:
476:
441:
190:
162:
Traditionally, the name has been translated as "belly spear", with the second element of the name,
943:
582:
561:
516:
618:
770:
628:
446:
294:
26:
1086:
953:
780:
663:
526:
93:
118:, Cúchulainn received the spear after training with the great warrior mistress Scáthach in
1116:
963:
765:
750:
725:
423:
315:
112:
In other versions of the legend, the spear had seven heads, each with seven barbs. In the
74:
866:
1058:
720:
491:
481:
456:
346:
Meyer, Kuno . Contributions to Irish lexicography, Volume 1, M. Niemeyer, 1906. p. 236.
66:
1100:
1009:
887:
760:
332:
266:
392:
978:
891:
427:
221:
70:
21:
679:
623:
521:
373:
Hamp, Eric P. "Varia I: 10. at·bail(l), (gaé) bulga", Ériu 24, 1973, pp. 179–182.
948:
826:
785:
715:
613:
536:
496:
200:
174:
85:
78:
1023:
968:
566:
205:
178:
96:—state that it could only be used under very specialized, ritual conditions:
917:
912:
643:
633:
501:
486:
243:"spear" was no longer recognizable to Irish speaker, its Old Irish cognate,
229:
213:
195:
167:
841:
811:
653:
973:
821:
775:
471:
43:
836:
790:
710:
648:
638:
531:
506:
466:
461:
451:
260:
189:), suggesting a linguistic link with the second element in the name of
127:
123:
105:
958:
871:
806:
755:
730:
705:
556:
546:
136:
77:. It was given to him by his martial arts teacher, the warrior woman
247:, was reattached to the beginning for clarification, forming a new,
861:
851:
816:
89:
20:
846:
831:
740:
608:
119:
396:
355:
Loth, Joseph. Les
Mabinogion, Volume 1, Thorin, 1889, p. 200.
228:
meaning "spear of mortal pain/death spear" (comparable to
16:
Spear of Cúchulainn in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology
181:, have preferred to derive it rather from Old Irish
987:
936:
905:
880:
799:
698:
672:
601:
575:
434:
25:Cú Chulainn fighting with a spear, as depicted by
151:
98:
408:
8:
81:, and its technique was taught only to him.
173:Several notable Celtic scholars, including
415:
401:
393:
185:"gap, breach, notch" (cognate with Welsh
122:. She taught him and his foster-brother,
142:Cúchulainn's use of the Gáe Bulg in the
285:
342:
340:
42:
7:
166:, being treated as a derivative of
14:
235:"spear, dart", from Proto-Celtic
263:, Odin's spear in Nordic legend
84:It was made from the bone of a
1:
897:Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend
216:derives the second element,
239:). Once the second element
1133:
1082:
170:bolg "belly, sack, bag".
293:O'Curry, Eugene (1873).
40:Old Irish pronunciation:
1073:Togail Bruidne Dá Derga
299:. Williams and Norgate.
155:
110:
29:
685:Conganchnes mac Dedad
296:Lectures and appendix
92:, others—notably the
24:
1112:Mythological weapons
1085:part of a series on
1038:Serglige Con Culainn
800:Supernatural figures
273:Mythological weapons
269:, also in Irish myth
1003:Compert Con Culainn
746:Éogan mac Durthacht
477:Cethern mac Fintain
442:Conchobar mac Nessa
44:[ɡaːi̯bulg]
996:Aided Óenfhir Aífe
690:Lugaid mac Con Roí
588:Dubthach Dóeltenga
583:Cormac Cond Longas
30:
1094:
1093:
771:Lugaid Riab nDerg
736:Dáire mac Fiachna
447:Amergin mac Eccit
27:J. C. Leyendecker
1124:
1087:Celtic mythology
1052:Táin Bó Flidhais
1045:Táin Bó Cúailnge
1031:Scéla Conchobair
1017:Mac Da Thó's Pig
928:Lúin of Celtchar
857:Manannán mac Lir
593:Fergus mac Roích
542:Lóegaire Búadach
417:
410:
403:
394:
387:
380:
374:
371:
365:
362:
356:
353:
347:
344:
335:
324:
318:
307:
301:
300:
290:
191:Fergus mac Róich
145:Táin Bó Cuailnge
115:Táin Bó Cuailnge
94:Book of Leinster
46:
41:
1132:
1131:
1127:
1126:
1125:
1123:
1122:
1121:
1097:
1096:
1095:
1090:
1078:
1066:Tochmarc Étaíne
983:
932:
901:
876:
795:
766:Garb mac Stairn
751:Erc mac Cairpri
726:Cairbre Nia Fer
694:
668:
619:Ailill mac Máta
597:
571:
430:
424:Irish mythology
421:
391:
390:
381:
377:
372:
368:
363:
359:
354:
350:
345:
338:
325:
321:
316:Thomas Kinsella
308:
304:
292:
291:
287:
282:
257:
160:
75:Irish mythology
39:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1130:
1128:
1120:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1099:
1098:
1092:
1091:
1083:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1076:
1069:
1062:
1059:Tochmarc Emire
1055:
1048:
1041:
1034:
1027:
1020:
1013:
1006:
999:
991:
989:
985:
984:
982:
981:
976:
971:
969:Eamhain Mhacha
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
940:
938:
934:
933:
931:
930:
925:
920:
915:
909:
907:
903:
902:
900:
899:
894:
884:
882:
878:
877:
875:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
803:
801:
797:
796:
794:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
708:
702:
700:
696:
695:
693:
692:
687:
682:
676:
674:
670:
669:
667:
666:
661:
656:
651:
646:
641:
636:
631:
629:Cet mac Mágach
626:
621:
616:
611:
605:
603:
599:
598:
596:
595:
590:
585:
579:
577:
573:
572:
570:
569:
564:
559:
554:
549:
544:
539:
534:
529:
524:
519:
514:
509:
504:
499:
494:
489:
484:
482:Conall Cernach
479:
474:
469:
464:
459:
454:
449:
444:
438:
436:
432:
431:
422:
420:
419:
412:
405:
397:
389:
388:
375:
366:
357:
348:
336:
319:
302:
284:
283:
281:
278:
277:
276:
270:
264:
256:
253:
159:
156:
130:, floated the
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1129:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1089:
1088:
1081:
1075:
1074:
1070:
1068:
1067:
1063:
1061:
1060:
1056:
1054:
1053:
1049:
1047:
1046:
1042:
1040:
1039:
1035:
1033:
1032:
1028:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1019:
1018:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1010:Fled Bricrenn
1007:
1005:
1004:
1000:
998:
997:
993:
992:
990:
986:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
944:Brú na Bóinne
942:
941:
939:
935:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
910:
908:
904:
898:
895:
893:
889:
888:Donn Cuailnge
886:
885:
883:
879:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
804:
802:
798:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
781:Nechtan Scéne
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
757:
754:
752:
749:
747:
744:
742:
739:
737:
734:
732:
729:
727:
724:
722:
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
703:
701:
697:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
678:
677:
675:
671:
665:
662:
660:
657:
655:
652:
650:
647:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
606:
604:
600:
594:
591:
589:
586:
584:
581:
580:
578:
576:Ulster exiles
574:
568:
565:
563:
560:
558:
555:
553:
550:
548:
545:
543:
540:
538:
535:
533:
530:
528:
525:
523:
520:
518:
515:
513:
510:
508:
505:
503:
500:
498:
495:
493:
490:
488:
485:
483:
480:
478:
475:
473:
470:
468:
465:
463:
460:
458:
455:
453:
450:
448:
445:
443:
440:
439:
437:
433:
429:
425:
418:
413:
411:
406:
404:
399:
398:
395:
385:
379:
376:
370:
367:
361:
358:
352:
349:
343:
341:
337:
334:
333:Ciaran Carson
330:
329:
323:
320:
317:
313:
312:
306:
303:
298:
297:
289:
286:
279:
274:
271:
268:
267:Spear of Lugh
265:
262:
259:
258:
254:
252:
250:
246:
242:
238:
234:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
210:
208:
207:
202:
198:
197:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
171:
169:
165:
157:
154:
150:
147:
146:
140:
138:
133:
129:
125:
121:
117:
116:
109:
107:
103:
97:
95:
91:
87:
82:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
63:
58:
57:
52:
51:
45:
37:
36:
28:
23:
19:
1107:Ulster Cycle
1084:
1071:
1064:
1057:
1050:
1043:
1036:
1029:
1022:
1015:
1008:
1001:
994:
964:Dún Flidhais
922:
892:Finnbhennach
867:The Morrígan
428:Ulster Cycle
383:
378:
369:
360:
351:
326:
322:
309:
305:
295:
288:
275:, for a list
249:tautological
244:
240:
236:
232:
226:*balu-gaisos
225:
222:Proto-Celtic
217:
211:
204:
194:
186:
182:
172:
163:
161:
152:
143:
141:
131:
113:
111:
101:
99:
83:
71:Ulster Cycle
61:
60:
55:
54:
49:
48:
34:
33:
31:
18:
721:Conaire Mór
614:Ailill Finn
537:Leabharcham
492:Cú Chulainn
457:Blaí Briugu
201:King Arthur
175:Joseph Loth
86:sea monster
67:Cú Chulainn
1101:Categories
1024:Mesca Ulad
974:Magh Meall
761:Fir Fálgae
280:References
251:compound.
237:*uo-gaisu-
206:Caledfwlch
193:'s sword,
179:Kuno Meyer
149:The Táin:
937:Locations
918:Fragarach
913:Caladbolg
881:Creatures
659:Mac Cécht
644:Findabair
634:Etarcomol
522:Findchóem
502:Deichtine
487:Cruinniuc
331:, trans.
314:, trans.
230:Old Irish
224:compound
220:, from a
214:Eric Hamp
212:Linguist
203:'s sword
196:Caladbolg
168:Old Irish
158:Etymology
62:Gáe Bolga
50:Gáe Bulga
979:Teamhair
954:Cuailghe
949:Cruachan
923:Gáe Bulg
786:Scáthach
776:Mesgegra
716:Bláthnat
602:Connacht
527:Furbaide
517:Fedlimid
497:Cúscraid
472:Celtchar
328:The Táin
311:The Táin
255:See also
132:Gáe Bulg
102:Gáe Bulg
79:Scáthach
56:Gáe Bolg
47:) (also
35:Gáe Bulg
906:Weapons
837:Flidais
791:Uathach
673:Munster
649:Flidais
639:Ferdiad
567:Súaltam
507:Deirdre
467:Cathbad
462:Bricriu
452:Athirne
261:Gungnir
241:*gaisos
124:Ferdiad
106:javelin
69:in the
1117:Spears
959:Dealga
872:Nemain
842:Lí Ban
812:Bébinn
807:Aengus
756:Fedelm
731:Connla
706:Achall
699:Others
680:Cú Roí
654:Fráech
624:Bélchú
562:Sencha
557:Naoise
547:Mugain
512:Fedelm
435:Ulster
426:: the
137:Connla
988:Texts
862:Midir
852:Macha
827:Étaín
822:Dáire
817:Boann
384:fogha
233:fogha
218:bulga
187:bwlch
164:bulga
90:spear
890:and
832:Fand
741:Emer
711:Aífe
664:Nera
609:Medb
552:Neas
532:Láeg
199:and
183:bolc
177:and
128:Láeg
120:Alba
100:The
32:The
847:Lug
245:gáe
73:of
1103::
386:).
339:^
209:.
59:,
53:,
416:e
409:t
402:v
38:(
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